Paraffin remover



July 5, 1949. H. N. sTAMos PARAFFIN REMOVER Filed April 12, 1945 s V N J/ Patented July 5, 1949 STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful. devices for removing deposits of parafiin, wax, and asphaltic or. other substances from, the inner surface. of oil well tubing, so that the pumping mechanism may operate eiiectively and produce a uniform flow of oil to the surface. Oil in a great many oil wells contains paraflin and" other deposits. which are in a liquid state when. at the depth at which the oil is" produced, but which, as the oil is pumpedupwardly and-the temperature decreases, crystallize and accumulate inside the 011 line and upon the piston rod of the pump. In the course of time the deposits accumulate and check the flow of oil to the surface. The pump must then be removed, which is an expensive and time consuming operation, and in case of an accident requiring a fishing job, the time lost and extra expense incurred is tremendously increased.

One object of my invention is the provision of a deposit-removing device which may be installed in the oil line without removal of the pump or piston-rod, and which may be operated independently of the piston-rod.

A further object is to provide a deposit-removing device that may be left in the oil line ready for use when needed.

Other objects will hereinafter appear, and in order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device installed in an oil well structure shown partially in sectional form.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, oi the device applied to a portion of the piston rod.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line III--III of Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the different parts, 2 designates the bore of the well, l the casing which rests upon the rock formation 6, 8 the working barrel of the oil pump, Ed the oil tubing which is connected to the upper end of the working barrel 8 to conduct the oil to an outlet pipe 52 at the surface, It the pistonrod which operates the pump plunger, not shown, and 86 a pumping unit for reciprocating the piston-rod l4. All of the foregoing may be of any preferred or conventional form.

Referring to the device as detailed in Figs. 2 and 3, 54 designates a cylindrical member having longitudinal, formed therein and extending the full length thereof. Each groove 5% communicates with a plurality of radial posts 58 extending outwardly from the axial here (it of the cylindrical member 54; which latter has a reduced lower end-portion 62 which acts as a pilot when. the member 54 moves downwardly in the oil tubing. Cylindrical member 54% is adapted to be carried slidably in oil tubing Ill, piston-rod it extending slidably through axial bore 60.

The cylindrical member 53 is surrounded by a tightly fitting tubular scraper 64 having circular rows of rectangular apertures 66 spaced one above another for approximately the full length of the scraper. The apertures to register with the grooves 56, so that paraflin and other deposits removed from the oil tubing 10 and the pistonrod It may enter the grooves 56 and be carried upwardly by the oil to the surface. Deposits removed from the surface of the piston-rod Hi and entering the bore Bil may escape therefrom to the grooves 56 through posts 53. The upper and lower edges 68 and iii, respectively, of each aperture (it constitute scrapers for effectively removing paraftln and other deposits from the inner surface of the oil tubing, so that the deposits may be carried to the surface as above stated. A loop $2 is secured to the upper end of member 56 for attachment with a cable 44 whereby the device may be moved up and down on piston rod it. Said cable extends upwardly to the top of the well, where it runs over a guide sheave 4B and is connected to a drum Ml freely mounted upon a drive shaft 50 to which the drum may be connected or disconnected by a clutch mechanism, not shown, controlled by a lever 52.

In the use of the device, the upper end of piston-rod I4 is disconnected from the pumping unit It and cylindrical member 54 is then slipped upon the piston-rod and lowered by the cable M to the desired depth in the oil tubing ii]. The device may then be raised and lowered in the tubing ill as previously described. With the foregoing arrangement the device will be raised each time drum M5 is thrown into gear, and dropped by gravity when the drum is thrown out of gear.

Buttons or other suitable indicating devices,

peripherally spaced grooves 56' not shown, may be attached to the cable 44, to inform the operator when the drum 4% should be thrown in or out of gear. Operation of the device as described will not interfere with the operation of the pump, so that the upward flow of oil to the surface will carry the paraffin and other deposits removed from the inner surface of the oil tubing I0 and the outer surface of the piston-rod l4, therewith, as the parafiin and other deposits are cut up into small particles by the device.

From the above description it is apparent that I have provided a device which is eficient for the purpose intended. I also reserve the rights to such other forms and modifications as properly fall Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a device adapted to move up and down in an oil well tubing, comprising a cylindrical member provided with a plurality of peripheral grooves extending longitudinally thereof, an axial bore, and ports communicating the grooves with said axial bore, and a tubular member fixedly mounted upon said cylindrical member and surrounding said peripheral grooves and provided with circular rows of rectangular apertures spaced one above another for approximately the full length of said tubular member,

said apertures communicating with the peripheral 4 cylindrical member provided with a plurality of peripheral grooves extending longitudinally thereof, an axial bore through which the pump rod may extend and freely operate, and ports communicating the grooves with said axial bore, a tubular member fixedly mounted upon said cylindrical member and surrounding said peripheral grooves and provided with circular rows of rectangular apertures spaced one above another for approximately the full length of said tubular member, said apertures communicating with the peripheral grooves in the cylindrical member and provided with upper and lower external edges constituting scrapers, and means for moving the device up or down in the well tubing on the pump rod and independently of the movement thereof.

HARRY N. STAlifOS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 754,854 Davis Mar. 15, 1904 809,880 Wooldridge et a1. Jan. 9, 1906 813,739 Ross Feb. 27, 1906 921,569 Tupes et a1. May 11, 1909 1,248,847 Grifiln Dec. 4, 1917 1,758,995 Armstrong et a1. May 20, 1930 1,989,035 Blum Jan. 22, 1935 1,995,095 Fitzpatrick Mar. 19, 1935 2,001,270 Slaugenhop May 14, 1935 2,326,528 Festervan et a1 Aug. 10, 1943 

